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Det. Brian Sawicki

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SBPD detective arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure

By ERIC LINDBERG — August 12, 2009

A Santa Barbara police detective is facing allegations of indecent exposure after several teenage girls reportedly saw him masturbating while off-duty near Refugio State Beach on Monday, sheriff’s officials said.

Det. Brian Sawicki, 33, surrendered his badge, identification and department-issued firearm after being placed on administrative leave by Santa Barbara Police Department officials following his arrest Monday afternoon, according to a news release.

The incident began when two young teenage girls walking along a trail near the beach noticed a man walking behind them at approximately 3:20 p.m., Sheriff’s Spokesman Drew Sugars said.

“The girls walked back towards the campground and saw the same man now lying down and masturbating,” Sugars said in a news release. “The girls immediately ran towards the campground, where they alerted an on-duty state park ranger.”

As the ranger interviewed the victims, they spotted the suspect and pointed him out, authorities said. After a short foot pursuit, the ranger caught and arrested the suspect, later identified as Sawicki.

The detective faces three misdemeanor charges — annoying or molesting a child under 18, indecent exposure, and resisting or delaying a peace officer, Sugars said. Sawicki was booked into jail on $2,500 bond but was not listed among inmate records yesterday afternoon, a jail official confirmed, suggesting he posted bail.

Police Chief Cam Sanchez said he placed the detective on administrative leave and launched an internal investigation after learning of the incident.

“I am shocked and deeply disappointed that a member of my department is the subject of this investigation, but I want to assure the public that the department is taking all necessary steps to ensure the public is protected and the investigation is completed in a fair and impartial manner,” the police chief said in a prepared statement.

He said the police department is prevented from releasing any additional details during the course of the internal investigation due to personnel privacy policies. Queries by the Daily Sound into Sawicki’s history at the department were not immediately addressed, but he has been referred to as a detective in previous news releases.

Officials at the District Attorney’s Office said Sawicki has yet to enter their system and it is unclear when his arraignment will take place. The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department is handling the criminal investigation, although the police department is cooperating with sheriff’s investigators and conducting its own administrative investigation.

Update: Aug. 12, 11:15 a.m. — Police officials confirmed Sawicki is a seven-year veteran of the department and had been most recently assigned as a burglary detective.

Comment on this article

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SBPD : 8/12/2009

WTF was that cop thinking!!! go home with that s***

local


Omg this is nuts : 8/12/2009

Well they didn't have to look! lol Geez can't a guy masturbate in peace without a couple of teenage girls invading his privacy?


He's an idiot : 8/12/2009

He drives drunk too

I know him


PIC : 8/12/2009

http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=21547&linkSource=edhat.com

PervBuster


Foot Pursuit : 8/12/2009

This cop got caught in a foot pursuit? Is he fat or something?

Why don't I run from cops?


Is it a Crime : 8/12/2009

If Masturbation a crime I'd be on Death Row...

SBCat


: 8/12/2009

The Daily Sound is great with investigative reporting! Very impressive!


God : 8/12/2009

Why wasnt it Officer Lazarus who got caught? He is such a douch bag.

David


Confused : 8/12/2009

How many teenage girls were involved? The story initially says several, but makes reference only to two.

Another local


officer arrested : 8/12/2009

i know him too, he's a nice guy, I'm really shocked!!

a friend


Proud of the Girls : 8/12/2009

I wish all girls/boys would report something they knew wasn't right. He probably scare the crap out of them by foloowing them in the first place. Good job. And the person who posted that they didn't have to look. Seriously? It was in broad daylight.

mom


Animal crualty : 8/12/2009

Bet some squirrels and rabbits were grossed out too! poor animals

Happy Camper


That Pig is Bacon : 8/12/2009

Another dirty SB cop goes down. If only they would start ridding the department of felons, we'd have no more cops in SB. Sanchez, thanks for the faux shock when you know you're a bunch of felonious goons.

LMFAO


: 8/12/2009

it's no surprise to those who know him


: 8/13/2009

like I see most every day, cops think they're above the law. The really sick part of this is his bail is only $2500... COME ON! If it were any one of us it would be $100,000.... sure hope I never see this idiot within a mile of my kids or he'll wish they kept him in jail. What a f$!*ing loser. His wife must be proud.

Another quality SBPD moron


: 8/13/2009

bail for all misdemeanors other than domestic violence & dui is $2500 his status has nothing to do with it and who says he is married?


sbpd : 8/13/2009

he's not married, and I do know him and I am very suprised.


Arrest : 8/13/2009

Those of you that feel the need to insult police officers because of this one mans action is not only pitiful but absolutely amazing. If you aren't adult enough to realize that there are rotten eggs in every walk of life; please get some life experience. Judging by the way you phrase your insults and use this public forum to berate this officer, other officers and the entire police department; leads anyone with any sense to make judgement on you. You obviously have a mob mentality, are easily influenced and weren't raised properly and would most likey conduct yourselves in such a fashion that you would have some sort of law enforcement contact, along with your families and the company you keep. Since it is a public forum, that would be my asumption. If this man is guilty; then the system and employer will handle it with the proper protocol. It almost 2010, trust us all - he's not going to be "protected" or given "special treatment". Yes, he got an easy $2,500 bail amount.. think about it, with this much publicity, is the court pretty rest assured he can be kept track of? Yes. Most people may not have a low bail but there face isn't splashed all over the place either. Personally, I'd rather pay the higher bail. If he is guilty, he's ruined his life and everything he knew it to be. If he's not guilty, then he'll have to rebuild his life. Have some compassion for people, professions and privacy. He won't be the last police officer arrested in this world for a crime, just as the last doctor, nurse, fireman, CEO, father, mother, son, daughter, grandfather, grandmother, teacher or politician wasn't the last to be arrested. This is life, crap happens. Let this man guilty or not, be tried by the powers that be. The SBPD are a bunch of felonious goons? Oh please. I would say that comment is disheartening but it's actually comical that an adult, if you are an adult could be so ignorant.

SBSAVVY


Pigs? : 8/13/2009

I would like to see how all you haters would like living in a society with no Police and no laws to protect your whiny @$$es or where they are corrupt like in Mexico. All of you should be ashamed, but of course you're not. These guys risk their lives everyday to protect scum like you for a pittance and why they would want to do this thankless job is beyond me, I think the guy deserves a little pleasure on his well earned day off and the other officers deserve a lot more respect than you give them.


: 8/13/2009

Whichever of you is without sin, throw he first stone. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.


BS charges : 8/13/2009

Lets see here hes charged with indecent exposure when HE WAS LYING down allegedly when the "offense " ocurred. When people want to expose themselves they stand up and try to gain attention. Since he was lying down, it appears to any rational person that he was not trying to draw attention to himself.

Ya basta


I bet it's you : 8/14/2009

Last few comments defending the day off molester are probably him himself cause why else would someone insist it's bull- it's so obvious- he's the last guy they'd arrest and take his badge away unless there was real evidence- people accuse cops of stuff everyday but this is different- it was a real offense and risking your life as an officer does not give you the right to flash kids and by the way he shouldnt be near kids - to think we trusted this weirdo...

Kid Flasher


SBPD Arrest : 8/14/2009

Sad, sad, sad! I guess he never heard of Manuela and her 4 sisters in private.

Butt Head


sbpd : 8/18/2009

big deal next time dont get caught.he did not expect the girls to come back he is not a rapist sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do.

santa barbara 40 years


: 8/18/2009

blame it on the gangs everyone else does.... lol... no but really santa Barbara is just like every other place bad with the good. it cant all be like that soap."Santa Barbara"


LIBERALS THINK GAYS CAN'T CHANGE BUT CHILD MOLSTERS CAN? : 8/19/2009

Everyone makes mistakes, but character mistakes like this? We hold police, judges and some other professions to a higher standard for good reason. Like he must have said to others: if you want to do the crime, you got to do the time! sorry bro

SBNATIVE


Det. Sawicki : 8/27/2009

Very interesting comments, all. Rest assured that Chief Sanchez and his staff will deal with this incident fairly and honestly. They are required by law to investigate this internally, as well as the Sheriff's Dept. doing the criminal investigation. Sawicki will be charged in court and must defend himself, and if found guilty, will pay dearly, both in criminal punishment as well as reputation. As far as his job goes, if the investigation proves that he did in fact commit these acts, he will be fired and lose everything; house, car, reputation, friends. Have confidence in the system. He will be held accountable for his actions, if found guilty. Do not judge him until all the facts have come out, and do not try him in the court of public opinion, just because you may not like cops.

SBLover35


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